Richard Lapper, the FT’s Latin America editor, recently spoke with Guido Mantega, Brazil’s finance minister. Mr Lapper and Jonathan Wheatley, the FT’s Brazil correspondent, also spoke with Celso Amorim, Brazil’s foreign minister, and Mr Wheatley interviewed Dilma Rousseff, the president’s chief of staff.

FINANCIAL TIMES: Tell us a bit about your interest in the British process and about the new accelerated growth plan you launched recently.